What To Wear To A Wedding Reception Over 40

The wedding invitation has arrived. Now the big question is “What will I wear?”

Naturally, it’s all about the bride on her wedding day, but that doesn’t mean that you as a guest, shouldn’t look fabulous, too. There aren’t very many occasions to dress up these days, so if you’re going to a summer wedding, seize the chance to wear something special and shine. Here are some things to think about when trying to find the right dress.

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1. Recognize the Need to Dress Up

This sounds obvious, but a wedding or semi-formal party is special. It means you need to dress up. Don’t think you can throw on a day dress that you’d wear to the office and be done with it. You need something more luxe and glamorous. Follow the dress code on the wedding invitation or don’t be afraid to ask if there isn’t one written. At a wedding, it is better to be overdressed, than underdressed!

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2. Consider the Venue and Time of Day

What to wear to a wedding reception depends on many things, including where the wedding is being held and when. A beach wedding taking place at 1 pm is going to be far more casual than a church wedding at 4 p.m. followed by a country club reception at 6 pm. Regardless of the time or place, all wedding receptions require a certain degree of decorum.

Women have more flexibility when it comes to dressing for a wedding reception than men. At some weddings, even a skirt + a blouse, or dressy evening pants + a fancy top are acceptable options. However, for the majority of weddings, the perfect choice for wedding guest attire is a dress.

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3. Don’t Wear White

While there are no formal rules, it’s common sense to forgo wearing a white dress. White should be reserved for the bride. Even if the bride is not wearing white, white makes one think of a bride, so stay clear out of respect.

4. Don’t Show too Much Skin

The length of your dress matters. A ladylike length would be no shorter than about an inch above the knee. Also, avoid low-cut dresses, or dresses that are too loud bright or busy. You want to stand out, but not in a negative way. You’re not going to a nightclub.

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5. Wear Dressy Shoes

Chunky, serious business shoes won’t do. They need to be finer, dressier and a little sexy. For example, metallic heels add a touch of glam. You’ll want to hit the dance floor, so be sure you can move comfortably in whatever shoes you choose.

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6. Accessorize with Elegant Jewelry

Let your shoes set the tone for your jewelry. A gold bangle and a pair of gold, pearls, dangly earrings are the perfect accompaniment to the dress and shoes. Keep the earrings to a reasonable length, no more than 2″ below your earlobe would make sense.

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7. Add a Chic Clutch

Leave your heavy, everyday bag at home and opt for something more evening like. A clutch or small chain handbag is a perfect choice for the occasion.

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8. Don’t Forget a Wrap

You will likely need something to cover your arms because many cocktail dresses are sleeveless. A wrap will come in handy at the church, in an air-conditioned reception hall, or on a patio if the reception is outside. Make sure your wrap is delicate and ladylike. No heavy wraps to weigh you down.

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Comments

Love your advice and styling tips! I have a wedding coming up in the Fall and I am already looking for my outfit. On this very cold day in New York I want you to know how much I love this blog! Thank you!!!

Hi Brenda,
I will post on that but I just wanted to show you a couple I recently came across. I love this one which is sheer with a silk trim and comes in three colors:http://bit.ly/2axRke0
and this is a dressier one in satin: http://bit.ly/2b6uLkI

Hi Sony, You can wear a full-length dress to any wedding. It depends on the formality of the wedding and the dress. For example, beachy maxi would look nice at a destination wedding: http://bit.ly/1TKKQtD
You could wear a floral chiffon dress to a garden wedding:http://bit.ly/2b6ifQj
and even a full formal gown to an evening wedding. There’s a maxi for every wedding.